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Euphemisms, eh?

Given the vagaries of English spelling:

It was a shock and awe tactic that divided opinions, with some critics branding it a “Gerald Ratner approach”, the British jewellery magnate who called his own company’s products “total c—”.

Given that I have a long memory I remember what he actually said – total crap.

But given what is usually elided that actually reads, to a modern, as “total cunt” which doesn’t really quite work, does it?

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Marius
Marius
1 year ago

The Telegraph still allows ‘crap’ in comments I think, which is surprising considering how censorious it has become.

Chris
Chris
1 year ago

It would work if it was a Richard Murphy approach.

Ottokring
Ottokring
1 year ago

“Lucy Worsley is on the BBC.”

Now, I’d pay a subscription to Pornhub to see that.

bloke in spain
bloke in spain
1 year ago

Wouldn’t the products of a company referred to as the other total c- be likely to be those of Ann Summers? Although more of a recommendation.

The Sage
The Sage
1 year ago

Reminds me of a news item where a gentleman was surprised that the person he’d been getting intimate with “had a c***!” and it took a few brain cycles to realise was not a reference to a factory model girlhole.

Steve
Steve
1 year ago

I always felt sorry for Gerald Ratner, probably shouldn’t but he was one of the first people I ever saw cancelled by the media.

Yes, Ratners sold cheap, gaudy tat to working class punters (“a mug’s eyeful”, in Alan Sugar speak, but Alan is wiser in holding his tongue). There’s nothing wrong with that, but I got the idea he felt a bit self conscious about being a bling merchant to the poors, hence the cringe attempt to banter with his well heeled audience of Serious Businessmen at the Institute of Directors shindig.

Bloke in Pictland
Bloke in Pictland
1 year ago

Sometimes I respell using either Safra or NZ pronunciations.

“Blicks” can be handy as can “twuht”. Neither seems to work for Cnut. But that might be my ignorance.

I sneeze in threes
I sneeze in threes
1 year ago

“ “Lucy Worsley is on the BBC.”. Not a band name, but maybe an AI prompt?

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